Adventure in the southern part of Mauritius

Our second day in Mauritius found us exploring the southern part of the island. -J πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

First stop was the Black Gorges National Park and Biosphere Reserve.

Next, a Hindu temple with two prominent statues.

Then our favorite part, La Vallee Des Couleurs (23 Colored Earth) Nature Park.

We also visited a tea plantation in the morning (with a tea tasting), had a nice seaside lunch, and visited a rum plantation in the afternoon (with rum tasting).

At the end of our first day tour in Mauritius, we walked around and enjoyed a Botanical Garden that also served as a refuge for giant tortoises . ~J πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

Auto-generated description: A vibrant pink water lily with a small insect on its yellow center is surrounded by lush green lily pads. Auto-generated description: A lush tropical landscape features a serene waterway surrounded by dense greenery and palm trees. Auto-generated description: A pond is covered with green lily pads, interspersed with a few blooming water lilies. Auto-generated description: Large green lily pads cover the surface of the water, creating a vibrant natural scene. Auto-generated description: A bud and the spiky, ribbed surface of a giant water lily are surrounded by large green leaves. Auto-generated description: A large tortoise rests on a stone surface under a shaded area. Auto-generated description: A large snail with a dark shell is situated on a rock next to some grass. Auto-generated description: A tropical plant features long, red, fuzzy flowers hanging beneath large green leaves in a sunlit garden.

I found another fun Umbrella Street in Port Louis, Mauritius. -J πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

Auto-generated description: Colorful umbrellas are suspended overhead along a street lined with palm trees and shops. Auto-generated description: Colorful umbrellas are suspended in the air against a backdrop of buildings and sky.

Slavery and Indentured Servitude in Mauritius

When the Dutch colonized Mauritius in 1638, they began a long history of slavery and slavery-related practices on the island; kidnapping people from East Africa and bringing them to the island against their will. The French continued the practices when they took possession of the island in 1715. Slaves were primarily used to grow and harvest sugarcane, but they were also used to build the buildings in what is now Port Louis. The British captured Mauritius from the French in 1810 and abolished slavery in 1835.

Mauritius is still coming to grips with its slavery past and making restitution to the families of former slaves (as is the United States). There is a new little museum dedicated to showing the country’s slave past and working with various families and NGOs to gather artifacts, information, and documents regarding slavery and those involved (both masters and former slave families) and help the country move forward. We visited and they are working on a more permanent exhibit, and hopefully this interesting place continues to expand.

Once the British abolished slavery, they pivoted to a system of indentured servitude that lasted until 1910. Importantly, Mauritius was the birthplace of indentured servitude. While technically free people, the conditions for the workers were still harsh and the contracts still favored the plantation owners, but sometimes this life might have been better than they would have had back home. During this period, almost 2 million individuals came to Mauritius as indentured servants, mostly from India. The majority of Mauritians today are decedents from this Indian population.

The administrative buildings where many indentured servants first set foot in Mauritius and were processed for 2-3 days before being directed to their respective plantations is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. -J πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

Auto-generated description: A stone building with arched windows and blue wooden doors stands against a clear sky. Auto-generated description: A display featuring bronze footprints and an informational plaque is set within a circular area with stones around it. Auto-generated description: A stone staircase is visible through a small, gated opening in a brick wall.

πŸ“· I think this trip has really inspired Jen to get into photography a bit more seriously. She’s been really loving her new camera and clearly enjoys taking photos with it. -S πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

This bird has some pretty great eyelashes.

After a month of mass produced African lagers, we finally had a chance to visit a local craft brewery. Crafty Dee’s, here in Dar es Salaam, is Tanzania’s first craft brewery, and one of Africa’s most awarded too. The beer was a welcomed improvement, and the food was delicious. 🍻 -SπŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ώ

Short stops to break up the long days on the road

To break up the long days on the road, we had several short stops for tours: a rubber farm in Malawi; a coffee plantation in Tanzania; and in Zanzibar, a tour of Stone Town (the capital) and a spice farm. -J πŸ‡²πŸ‡ΌπŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ώ

The Malawi rubber farm

The Tanzania coffee plantation

Tour of Stone Town, Zanzibar, and its markets

Zanzibar spice farm

More photos can be found at: www.icloud.com/sharedalb…

Put a bird on it. πŸ˜‰

Roadkill fines in Mikumi National Parkβ€”listed in USD, not local currency. -S πŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ώ

πŸŽ₯ Recapping our 24-day overlanding safari of Africa

Here’s a video recap of what we thought about our 24-day overlanding safari tour of Africa. What did we like? Dislike? Would we do it again? Find out below.

And here’s a short montage video someone on our tour made for his studentsβ€”focusing on the first few days of the East Africa portion of our tourβ€”using a 360 camera.

And if you missed it, here’s more on the overlanding truck we used:

https://adventuresaroundthe.world/2025/01/07/a-little-bit-about-the.html

-S πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡¦πŸ‡§πŸ‡ΌπŸ‡ΏπŸ‡ΌπŸ‡ΏπŸ‡²πŸ‡²πŸ‡ΌπŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ώ

πŸŽ₯ Recapping our wildlife experiences in Africa

A video discussion of our wildlife experiences in Africa. Did we see everything we wanted to? What were the game drives like? Find out in the video below. -S πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡¦πŸ‡§πŸ‡ΌπŸ‡ΏπŸ‡ΌπŸ‡ΏπŸ‡²πŸ‡²πŸ‡ΌπŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ώ

A story in three photos… πŸ˜‚

-S πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡²

🎢 …Everybody was kung fu fighting… 🎢

Some vervet monkeys playing around our campsite at Lake Malawi on New Years Day. It was fun to watch these two chase and wrestle around; should have stayed longer to get more shots!

The monkeys of Jozani Forest

On our full day in Zanzibar, we visited the Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park and Biosphere Reserve. The park is famous for its monkeys, specifically the endangered and endemic Zanzibar Red Colombus Monkey, but also the Blue Monkey. It was an up close and intimate encounter…minus all the tourists, of course. -SπŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ώ

A monkey with a black and white face is perched on a tree branch in a forest setting.A monkey with a long tail and reddish fur is walking on the ground.A monkey is hanging onto a tree branch in a forested area.A colobus monkey with distinctive black and white fur is perched on a tree branch.Three monkeys are perched on tree branches, surrounded by leaves and foliage.A colorful crab is standing on dark soil near a small hole.A monkey is climbing a tree branch in a forest setting.A colobus monkey is perched on a tree branch surrounded by lush green foliage.A monkey with a reddish-brown tail is sitting on a tree trunk in a forest.A lizard is camouflaged among dry leaves and foliage.Two monkeys are perched among dense green foliage.A monkey with a bushy tail is sitting on a leafy tree branch.A close-up of a colobus monkey with distinctive black and white fur is surrounded by lush greenery.A monkey with dark fur and a white face is perched on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves in a forested area.Two monkeys are sitting on branches, with one appearing to groom the other.

You can find other photos here: www.icloud.com/sharedalb…

Elephants peacefully snacking on some grass in Mikumi National Park in Tanzania. -S πŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ώ

A little bit about the overlanding vehicle we’ve been traveling in the last three weeks through Africa. -S

Auto-generated description: A bus interior showing rows of empty, gray-covered seats and windows with emergency exit signs.

Auto-generated description: A spacious, upholstered vehicle interior with multiple cushioned seats and large windows, featuring safety signs and emergency exits.

Auto-generated description: Inside a bus with empty seats, sunlight illuminates the interior.

Next Zoom Call - Sun, Jan 12, 2025

Join us for our next Zoom call! We will have finally finished our 24-day African Tour and we’d love to share our updates and impressions, tell some stories, and see all of you.

Scheduled for 10:00 am Arizona Time (12:00 pm EST) on Sunday January 12, 2025 (it will be 8 pm our time).

Here is the link:

zoom.us/j/92084755972

In the meantime, we’ve included some fighting zebras to catch your interest 😁

-J πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡²

It wasn’t on the itinerary per se, but I managed to do both Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti on this trip! πŸ»πŸ˜‰ -S πŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ώ

Uncomfortable in Africa

The primary constant during our time in Africa has been the feeling of being uncomfortable. I’m referring to physical discomfort, not the discomfort that comes from traveling as a privileged person in a land that lacks it (we’ll write about that another time).

Humid beyond belief. Hot, intense sun. Omnipresent insects, especially at night in our tent or room. Bumpy roads. Long drives. Constant sweat. Frequent rain. Fleeting internet access. Sporadic electricity. Unnecessary delays. Cold showers. Warm beer. Unending stickiness. Long lines. Terrible toilets. Ubiquitous mud. Reliable unreliability.

Africa is a challenge because everything is a bit uncomfortable. Everything.

It’s an adventure, not a vacation, and so this was expected. But it also gives us a glimpse into daily life on this continent. We will eventually return to air conditioning, roads that don’t resemble minefields, and bug-free hotel roomsβ€”while the locals continue with life as-is.

-S πŸ‡ΉπŸ‡ΏπŸ‡²πŸ‡ΌπŸ‡ΏπŸ‡²